Carly Zapata

MD MPH

Palliative care physician

Carly Zapata is a palliative care doctor who provides consultations for hospitalized patients with cancer or other serious illnesses. She helps them with controlling symptoms as well as advance care planning.

Zapata researches strategies to make advance care planning easier for both patients and doctors. She also studies how to promote self-care for doctors and ways to incorporate routine palliative care into oncology practices.

Zapata earned her medical degree from Harvard Medical School and a master of public health degree from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. She completed her residency in internal medicine at UCSF, where she served as chief resident. She also completed a fellowship in hospice and palliative medicine at UCSF.

Zapata is a member of the Society of General Internal Medicine and American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine.

In her free time, Zapata enjoys hiking, reading fiction, exploring San Francisco and spending time with her toddler.

  • Education

    Harvard Medical School, MD, 2012

    Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, MPH, 2012

  • Residencies

    UCSF, Internal Medicine, 2015

  • Fellowships

    UCSF, Hospice and Palliative Medicine, 2017

  • Board Certifications

    Internal Medicine, American Board of Internal Medicine

    Hospice and Palliative Medicine, American Board of Internal Medicine

  • Academic Title

    Associate Professor

  • Languages

    Spanish

Where I see patients (2)

    My reviews

    5.0

    Overall Experience
    80 Ratings
    About our process
    Sep 24, 2024
    She was very kind and very compassionate and very easy to speak with.
    Sep 14, 2024
    Dr Zapata is the most caring Dr. She asks many questions to make sure we are understanding each other as well as what other doctors have said. She Is adomint about making sure all Involved are on the same page. I honestly don't know how Dr Zapata has enough hours in the day to do all she does. Among the many things she does she reaches out to other providers with questions and requests. She follows up with everything and I am contacted several times in between appts. This team of experts is the best there is. I am very grateful and thankful to have them working with me.
    Aug 05, 2024
    Dr. Zapata continues to provide stellar patient service, including extensive medical knowledge, insightful explanations and patience in listening to our concerns. She has prompted us to make a donation in her name to UCSF.
    Aug 03, 2024
    Dr. Zapata and nurse Eve are the best as is Jeff. I can call and know if there is a big issue Eve will get the message and call right away. She writes everything down to discuss with Dr Zapata and always gets back to me. Eve talked to Dr and they both agreed I needed to talk to Dr ASAP and they created an appointment for me in days as being on of the best Drs in her field she is always booked nearly 6-8 weeks. It is comforting knowing if I have a problem they will find the time to help me and in my opinion they go above and beyond and monitor all I'm going through. It's wonderful Nurse Eve will randomly reach out to check in on me. I'm very grateful to have a Dr of her calibur and appreciate all she and her fabulous team do for me.
    Jun 29, 2024
    Very good and very knowledgeable
    Jun 24, 2024
    Dr. Zapata greatly exceeds the maximum level 5 rating for each category. She excels in providing patient confidence in her explanations.
    May 13, 2024
    Dr. Zapata is the best/most helpful doctor I have encountered in recent years.
    Apr 25, 2024
    Dr.Zapata is An amazing physician. She is a great listener and always has good and positive suggestions. Her approach to my cancer isupbeat and reassuring.llookforward your appointments. I would rate her with with a joyous 5
    Apr 21, 2024
    I felt well cared for and understood. It eased my anxiety a lot
    Mar 31, 2024
    Dr. Zapata and Nurse Cohen provided excellent medical service, while making me feel, as if I were their only patient. They provided a sense of great comfort.
    Mar 09, 2024
    Dr. Zapata is the best! She is a great listener and very compassionate!
    Dec 18, 2023
    Dr. Zapata provided a superb experience. She demonstrated the highest quality of medical care and insightfulness about my conditions. She made me feel as If I were the only patient at UCSF.
    Dec 14, 2023
    Dr Zapata listens to me, reassures me. I am grateful for my interaction with her.
    Nov 21, 2023
    Excellent medical knowledge, Insight, understanding and patience making me feel, as if I was the only UCSF patient.
    Aug 10, 2023
    Dr. Zapata connects very well as a person to another person as well as being very professional.
    Jul 09, 2023
    Dr Zapata and her team are great to have access to. She can answer those questions you forgot to ask the other doctors with good info.
    May 27, 2023
    Dr Zapata and her Pallative team are exceptional. So easy to talk to and listen to concerns.
    Apr 13, 2023
    Dr. Zapata was knowledgeable, articulate, caring and professional.
    Mar 20, 2023
    Palliative Care team is excellent
    Mar 19, 2023
    Dr. Zapata is a great listener, thoughtful,empathetic, pics up on possible issues. She has a lovely manner that invokes a sense of trust
    Feb 18, 2023
    Good experience
    Feb 08, 2023
    Always great with Dr. Zapata. She is very professional, also Compassionate, she's the best.
    Feb 04, 2023
    This was the best appointment I have ever had with doctors!
    Jan 16, 2023
    Top notch doc!

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